Obituaries

Mert Brown was born on March 26, 1946, in Wilmont, Minnesota to Paul and Mary Ann “Babe” Schettler Platt. She grew up in Wilmont until 1955 when the family moved to Iona, MN. Mert graduated from St. Columba High School in 1964. On March 15, 1975, she and John Brown were married in Las Vegas, NV. Following their marriage, they made their home in Denver, CO, Malmo, MN, Las Vegas, NV, Iona, MN, Mesa, AZ and eventually ending up in Slayton, MN. Mert worked as a bookkeeper and insurance agent for many years in Aitkin, MN. In 2022 Mert moved to the Good Samaritan Society in Westbrook, MN. Due to failing health she moved to Our House Hospice Home in Slayton on January 3, 2025. She passed away there on Saturday, February 8, 2025, at the age of 78. She was an active member of St. Columba Church in Iona having served on the Church Council as well as many duties behind the scenes. Mert served as Mayor of Iona for 1 term. Mert enjoyed spending time with family, reading, embroidering, needle work, quilting, shopping, and her roses.

Funeral service for Holly Christine Bakker, 49, of Tracy, MN will take place on Saturday, February 8, 2025 at Tracy Lutheran Church beginning at 10:30 a.m. Public visitation will held on Friday, February 7, 2025 at the Horvath Remembrance Center in Tracy from 4:00 – 8:00 p.m. with a prayer service beginning at 7:00 p.m. Visitation will continue Saturday morning at Tracy Lutheran beginning at 9:30 a.m. Burial will take place at the Tracy City Cemetery following the funeral service. Upon conclusion of the graveside service a luncheon will be provided at Tracy Lutheran.

Richard Carl Teig was born to Ernest and Dorothy Zimmer Teig in Slayton, MN on October 10, 1954. After a short bout with cancer, he passed away on December 27, 2024 at Sanford Hospital in Sioux Falls, SD. He lived most of his life in Slayton but did spend several periods of time in the Phoenix area.

Bob Robinson was born on November 25, 1937, in Dodge City, Kansas to Owen and Deane Weeks Robinson. He grew up in Garfield, KS and graduated from Garfield High School in 1955. Bob went on to attended Dodge City Community College, Flagstaff University in Flagstaff, AZ, and later Pratt Community College in Pratt, KS. Bob served in the United States Army and the Army Reserves. On December 23, 1961, he and LaRue Kamphaus were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Pratt. Following their marriage, they made their home in Pratt until 1965 when they moved to Bayfield, CO. They later moved to Garden City, KS to help their aging parents. Bob worked as a lineman and later supervised the line transmission crew for Sunflower Electric. Bob retired in 2000. In 2011 they moved to Slayton to be near their son, Jim, and his family. Bob passed away at his home on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, at the age of 87. He was a member of St. Ann’s Church in Slayton. While in Bayfield, Bob helped to organize the Volunteer

Curt Miller was born on June 18, 1946, in Tyler, Minnesota to Glennon and Irene Larson Miller. He grew up on the family farm in Lowville Township, Murray County, Minnesota. Curt was Baptized and Confirmed at Sillerud Lutheran Church in rural Balaton, MN. He attended country school and later graduated from Balaton High School in 1964. He then attended Worthington Junior College in Worthington, MN. Curt enlisted in the South Dakota Air National Guard. He was stationed in San Antonio, TX and Wichita Falls, TX. He returned to the family farm and farmed with his father, Glenn, and brother, Les. On June 28, 1970, he and Holly Pedersen were married at Bethany Lutheran Church in Arco, MN. Following their marriage, they made their home in Lowville Twp. just down the road from the Miller family farm. Curt worked hard and took great pride in his family, work, and farming. In 2008, they retired and moved to Lynd, MN. Due to failing health Curt moved to the Lockwood House, Prairie Home Hospice, in Marshall, MN on January 8, 2025. He passed away there on Monday, January 20, 2025, at the age of 78. He was a lifetime member of Sillerud Lutheran Church. Curt enjoyed spending time with his family, family vacations, winter getaways to South Padre Island and Texas, his 1966 GTO, car shows, and 50’s music. Curt had a wonderful sense of humor and liked to be in charge.

Timothy Dale Gillette was born on June 11, 1972 to Arlene (Field) and Dale Gillette in rural Woodstock, Minnesota. The family moved to Lake Wilson the following year and Tim was baptized at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on July, 9, 1973. Tim attended grade school in Lake Wilson, high school in Slayton, and Pipestone Technical School for auto mechanics. He lived in Washington State for a time with friends and close to family. He moved back to Minnesota and started working for Murray County Land Improvement from mid 1996 through the end of 2003. On a friends trip to Alaska during the summer of 2003, Tim fell in love with the area. He moved shortly after his return to Minnesota and never looked back. Tim and college friend, Shawn Hansen, lived together for a time before he found a place of his own. They remained close friends and ended up purchasing homes only a few houses away from each other. Tim loved Sitka and all things Alaska. He worked a variety of jobs including on a fishing boat and various construction jobs but spent most of his time in Dutch Harbor operating equipment in a rock quarry. In the last five years he started working on the North Slope near the Arctic Circle running heavy equipment.

Sandy Stokesbary was born on March 7, 1945, in Redwood Falls, Minnesota to P. Einer and Catherine Margaret Petersen Hoffbeck. She grew up near Morgan, MN, and graduated Salutatorian from Morgan High School in 1962. She then attended Charles T. Miller Hospital in St. Paul, MN graduating with a Radiology Technologists Degree. On March 26, 1966, she and Arlyn Stokesbary were married at St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Evan, MN. Following their marriage, they made their home in Millington, TN, San Diego, CA, and Mount Vernon, WA while Arlyn served in the United State Navy. Sandy worked as a Radiology Tech where Arlyn was stationed. Following Arlyn’s discharge in 1970 they made their home near Morgan, MN until 1987 when they moved to a farm west of Slayton, MN. Sandy worked at the Slayton Hospital starting in 1987 in the Radiology Department and in 2002 she became the Director of Radiology at the Murray County Medical Center, the Westbrook Care Center, and the Tracy Hospital. Sandy retired in 2011. She was a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Slayton where she taught Sunday school, sang in the church choir, served on numerous church boards, was a WELC officer, member of the Altar Guild and a member of followship and service love circle. Sandy was a member of Monday Study Club, Slayton Kiwanis, Prairie Music, hospice volunteer, delivered Meals on Wheels and was a past member of the Lake Wilson American Legion Auxiliary. Sandy enjoyed spending time with her family, traveling especially in the RV, cooking, gardening, reading, music, word games, volunteering, bird watching as well as other wildlife. Sandy passed away at the Murray County Medical Center on Sunday, January 12, 2025, at the age of 79.

Celebration of Life for Katie Lee Scharfe, 41, of Balaton will take place Saturday, January 11, 2025 in the gymnasium of the Iterro (former Tru Shrimp) building beginning at 3:00 p.m. Public visitation will begin two hours prior to the service. A reception will be held at the Balaton Community Center following the Celebration of Life.

Marilyn Carlson was born on February 3, 1940, in Luverne, Minnesota to Harold and Louise Staeffler Kiebach. She grew up in Luverne and graduated from Luverne High School in 1958. On September 9, 1959, she and Lyle Carlson were married at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Luverne. Following their marriage, they made their home in Maryland and Alaska while Lyle served in the United States Army. Following his discharge in 1962, they moved to a farm north of Lake Wilson, MN and raised their three children. In 1984 they retired from farming and moved to an acre-age near Chandler, MN. Marilyn worked at Fey Industries in Edgerton, MN and later at Huisken Meat in Chandler, MN. In 1998 they moved to Lake Wilson, MN. Lyle passed away on December 23, 2002. Marilyn remained in Lake Wilson until February 2024 when she moved to Prairie View Healthcare in Tracy, MN. She passed away there on Friday, December 27, 2024, at the age of 84. She was a member of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Lake Wilson and the Lake Wilson American Legion Auxiliary. Marilyn enjoyed playing cards and games, reading, gardening, fishing, and watching Gunsmoke.

Leone Arendt, 86 of Pipestone, MN formerly of Cottage Grove, MN passed away on December 9, 2024 while residing at Good Samaritan Nursing home in Pipestone, MN. Leone Therese (Hofstadter) Arendt was born on January 30th, 1938 to Leo and Louise (Ackerman) Hofstadter at the Tracy, MN hospital.